A look at the connections between the Patriots and the Steelers as they head into their AFC Championship game on Sunday.
PITTSBURGH-AREA TIES
- Patriots DL Jabaal Sheard played in 47 games with 38 starts over a four-year career at Pittsburgh where he compiled 142 tackles, 19 1/2 sacks, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
- New England FB James Develin is originally from Gilbertsville, Pa. and attended Boyertown Area Senior High School where he lettered in football and lacrosse.
FORMER PATRIOTS
- Steelers rookie LB Tyler Matakevich is originally from Stratford, Conn. and attended St. Joseph's High School in Trumbull, Conn. where he was a 2011 all-state honoree at linebacker, helping the Cadets to a 10-2 record in his senior season while capturing back-to-back state championship titles.
FORMER STEELERS
- Patriots RB LeGarrette Blount played for the Steelers during part of the 2014 season where he appeared in 11 games and rushed for 266 yards on 65 attempts with two touchdowns.
FORMER NFL TEAMMATES
- Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin was the defensive coordinator in Minnesota when Patriots defensive line coach Brendan Daly was the defensive assistant/defensive line coach for the Vikings.
- Steelers CBRoss Cockrelland Patriots WR Chris Hogan were teammates at the Buffalo Bills.
- Pittsburgh LBArthur Moats played with Patriots DL Alan Branch and WR Chris Hogan at the Buffalo Bills.
- Pittsburgh assistant head coach/defensive lineJohn Mitchell was the defensive line coach for the Browns when Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was the head coach in Cleveland.
- Pittsburgh wide receivers coachRichard Mann was also the wide receivers coach under Belichick when Belichick was the head coach in Cleveland.
- Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley was the wide receivers coach/offensive assistant for the Jets when New England head coachBill Belichick was the assistant head coach/secondary in New York.
- Haley was also the offensive coordinator for the Cardinals when Patriots DL Alan Branch played in Arizona.
- Steelers running backs coach James Saxon worked in Kansas City when Patriots wide receivers coach Chad O'Shea was with the Chiefs. Saxon worked in Minnesota when New England defensive line coach Brendan Dalywas with the Vikings.
- Saxon also coached the running backs in Miami when Patriots DE Rob Ninkovich played for the Dolphins.
FORMER COLLEGE TEAMMATES
- Pittsburgh WR Sammie Coates played with Patriots DB Jonathan Jones at Auburn.
- Steelers G David DeCastro played with Patriots OL Cameron Fleming and DB Jordan Richards at Stanford.
- Steelers LB Ryan Shazierwas defensive teammates with Patriots DB Nate Ebner at Ohio State.
- Pittsburgh DT Daniel McCullersand Patriots DB Justin Coleman were defensive teammates at Tennessee.
- Steelers QB Zach Mettenberger and Patriots LB Barkevious Mingo were teammates at Louisiana State.
- Pittsburgh RB DeAngelo Williams and New England K Stephen Gostkowski were teammates at Memphis.
- Steelers quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner was also the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach when Gostkowski played at Memphis.
